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Jones off the mark

Goals from Paul Jones (2) and Ben Sly gave Folkestone Invicta a 3-1 victory over Maidstone United in Tuesday night’s pre-season friendly at a wet Buzzlines Stadium.

Jones scored his first goals for the club following his summer move from Ashford Town to give Invicta a 2-0 half time lead.

One-time Invicta player Nick Hegley pulled a goal back for Maidstone within two minutes of the second half, but substitute Sly restored Invicta’s two-goal advantage with his second goal in three substitute appearances.

There were early chances at both ends as former Dover Athletic man Jimmy Strouts headed over for the visitors in the seventh minute and a Simon Glover shot rolled against the Maidstone post for Invicta minute later.

Hegley volleyed over in the 20^th minute when Nathan Paul sent in a good ball from the right hand side for Maidstone and Mo Takologhabashi shot over following a Simon Austin ball after 25 minutes.

At the other end, a Stuart Myall free kick from the left was volleyed over by Simon Glover on the half hour mark.

Jones opened the scoring after 34 minutes when he drilled the ball in from a Michael Everitt pass when Paul Lamb took a quick throw-in after he had surged down the left flank.

Dryden then headed over a Micheal Everitt cross after 36 minutes.

Jones struck the post from close range after 40 minutes when Lamb sent over a very deep cross from the left to James Dryden at the far post.

And Jones duly made it 2-0 in the 43^rd minute with a clinical finish when Scott Lindsey put him through one-on-one against goalkeeper Pat Mullin.

Hegley brought Maidstone back into the game with a quality 47^th minute chip from just outside the penalty area. 

Sly made it 3-1 just three minutes after replacing two-goal Jones when he struck the ball home in the 55^th minute with a first-time strike when Myall sent a low hard cross in from the right hand side.

That led to a flurry of Invicta substitutions which included an appearance for number two goalkeeper Kieron Mann on his 18^th birthday and a run out for Martin Chandler following a long absence with a knee injury.

Hegley had another chance for Maidstone after 67 minutes, but this time his snapshot flew across the face of goal and wide of the far post.

James Everitt cleared off the line from Maidstone substitute Lyndon Rowland following a corner from the right hand side after 74 minutes.

Dryden had a couple of late chances for Invicta when he first fired wide across goal after 83 minutes and then curled a shot just wide of the far post from the left hand side after 86 minutes.

Invicta centre half John Guest missed the match with a back injury.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell (Mann 55), J. Everitt, Lamb, Flanagan, Norman, Lindsey (Bower 55), M. Everitt (Chandler 55), Myall (Rainbow 55), Dryden, Jones (Sly 51), Glover.  

MAIDSTONE UNITED: Mullin, Paul (Lacey 69), Celaire, Tydeman, Miller (Barton 54), Nicholl, Strouts, Kimble, Takologhabashi (Speering 69), Austin (Rowland 54), Hegley.